Veteran reliever elects free agency after SF Giants sent outright to Sacramento

You can close the books on Lou Trivino's stint with the SF Giants for now. The veteran reliever cleared waivers and elected free agency after being sent outright to Sacramento according to the team's transaction log.

Veteran reliever elects free agency after SF Giants sent outright to Sacramento

The Giants designated Trivino for assignment last weekend to make room for Kyle Harrison on the active roster. Harrison already occupied a spot on the 40-man roster, so the club could have pursued a couple of different options to add him to the active roster.

In the end, they decided to cut ties with Trivino. The move brought the 40-man roster down to 39. While the Giants could make a move to add someone to the 40-man roster, Jerar Encarnación is reportedly set to begin a rehab assignment this weekend. He is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on May 23, and could slot right into that open spot.

The Giants added Trivino on a minor league deal right before spring training opened. They were among a handful of teams to scout the veteran reliever's bullpen session during the winter. He had options, but chose the Giants due in part to his relationship with manager Bob Melvin.

Trivino has appeared in six major league seasons, five of which has come with Melvin as the manager. He emerged as a leverage bullpen arm earlier in his career, posting a 4.04 ERA in parts of five seasons with the A's. This included a stint as the team's closer.

The 33-year-old hurler was shipped to the New York Yankees at the 2022 trade deadline in a six-player deal. He made 25 appearances with the Yankees down the stretch that year, recording a 1.66 ERA across 21.2 frames.

Trivino underwent Tommy John surgery early in 2023, which kept him on the shelf for the entirety of the next two seasons. He joined the Giants on a non-guaranteed deal this year and tallied 9.1 scoreless frames during the Cactus League. That was enough to convince the Giants to add him to the roster.

The righty reliever posted a 5.84 ERA in 11 outings with San Francisco. He had a rough appearance against the Milwaukee Brewers, where he yielded five earned runs while recording two outs. The Giants struggled to find innings for him after that. He is now free to sign with any team.